"Major" Passenger Rail Announcement in Wichita This Friday

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bht963

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From the website of The Wichita Eagle (Kansas.com):

Wichita passenger rail supporters have what they call a “major announcement” set for a 4 p.m. Friday news conference at Union Station, 701 E. Douglas.

The news conference, to celebrate National Train Day on Saturday, is being characterized by city officials as an “update on significant developments regarding passenger rail advocacy in this area.”

The news conference will be led by Wichita Vice Mayor Pete Meitzner, along with business representatives who serve on his local steering committee.

It will take place outside the north entrance of Union Station, just off Douglas.

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Predictions? Could this be an extension of the Heartland Flyer? A re-route of the SWC? Nothing at all to do with Amtrak? What's your guess?
 
As a serious guess, probably something to do with the station there. I know there's been a bit of a buzz on that front, so it seems possible they're rolling out some plans or announcing some additional step in that process.
 
OBS said:
I predict they are going to announce the extension of the SL back to Florida... :giggle:
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I can read into the sarcasm but for those that are expecting this,it is highly unlikely. While the line is working for freight, the signaling must be upgraded for passenger train use. The stations will also need to be reopened and at the very least painted and refreshed. The problem is not insurmountable but it will take money that Amtrak does not have.
 
I would vote for one of three options:

  • A study to evaluate the train. (but not like the other previous half dozen or so, this one will be "special")
  • The new owner of the station is unveiling plans for the Railroad Station part of the depot, with waiting room and subway to tracks, or
  • They will announce funding to complete a subway under the tracks to connect the convention center / downtown to the depot and old town section.
Of these three options, I think two or three are the most likely. I sincerely doubt there's going to be any discussion about reroute of the SWC, extension of the Heartland Flyer, or other real rail service as those would require funding that isn't available.
 
But the terms "funding is/isn't available" has more to do with fear factors than what one's balance sheet says.
 
fairviewroad said:
Let me guess: Some money has been procured for a study. :unsure:
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Kansas and Texas are already doing a joint study according to this refreshed April 18, 2013 story in the Wichita Eagle.

Could be the Mayor and business leaders are getting together to speak out in favor of passenger rail service to Wichita. The Wichita Eagle article says: "The news conference, to celebrate National Train Day on Saturday, is being characterized by city officials as an “update on significant developments regarding passenger rail advocacy in this area.”. Not new service, but advocacy of service. Got to start someplace.
 
Betting on the dark horse here...they're going to be preparing the station for the reroute of the Southwest Chief in another year or so.
 
No news down here from the Heartland Flyer front where we are getting dead tired of all the money wasted on repeated studies. If that money had been given to Amtrak instead for fleet improvement, we'd already have Superliner 3 and Viewliner 2 and 2a.

Owen: I'm to drive you to Wichita to catch a train?

Del: Yeah, we'd appreciate it.

Owen: Train don't run out of Wichita... unlessin' you're a hog or a cattle.

[Clears his throat]

Owen: People train runs out of Stubbville.
 
Funding for the station and platform(s) would be really excellent.

I'm a pessimist so I'm betting on another study. Or perhaps an agreement in principle with the landowner or something else which doesn't actually get the station built.
 
After finish painting the local high school, city leaders discovered extra cans of paint. With the local government board been hounded by the media for wasteful spending. The Mayor and the board decide to paint the train station, with the Mayor "small government is best" approach, this of course is a major project for him and the board.
 
Question does Wichita, KS still pay for a daily flight to Denver, CO.

I recall read how the airline was going to be charge more due to the slow of the economy. This was several years ago.
 
printman2000 said:
Paulus said:
I'm betting on Southwest Chief reroute myself.
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I really doubt that. Amtrak has stated that the decision will not be made until 2014.
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I would also expect a reroute announcement to be made first by Joe Boardman and possibly the Chairman of the Board, Anthony Coscia. I don't see Amtrak letting the Mayor of Wichita make that announcement, especially just prior to National Train Day, where good PR practice would be to have only news seen as positive.
General question, with all the studies, surely Kansas and Wichita have looked at extending a Missouri River Runner to Wichita? The costs I recall for extending the Heartland Flyer north were pretty high. But extending a River Runner over the SWC route and then to Wichita might not cost much for track upgrades. Missouri will be getting new corridor bi-level cars for the River Runner. If MO adds a 3rd daily River Runner, perhpas that could be extended to Wichita with the purchase of a few additional bi-levels. There are unused HSIPR funds for the order of the 130 bi-levels due to the low bid.

However, Gov. Brownback of Kansas is a very conservative tea party type. Have there been any indications that he would support spending significant state funds on passenger rail?
 
In the study released by KS dated Nov 2011 the capital costs of extending the HF to NEW would be $132.5 million in infrastructure upgrades.

They don't provide a Wichita to KCY only scenario but the total for a single train FTW to KCY would be $368.2 million.

BNSF won't take another train on the SWC route without some additional double tracking. Looks like they want about 11.5 miles between KCY and Wichita.
 
After suffering major losses and a constant stream of bankruptcies, Hawker Beachcraft will exit the small plane business and start producing railcars.
 
Just-Thinking-51 said:
Question does Wichita, KS still pay for a daily flight to Denver, CO.
I recall read how the airline was going to be charge more due to the slow of the economy. This was several years ago.
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Actually Southwest Airlines will begin flying from Wichita in June with daily flights to Dallas, Chicago, and Las Vegas but alas not Denver!

JK
 
FWIW, it is perfectly possible for the station to be refurbished and updated before any definitive word on train service; this has been done repeatedly in the Northeast and Midwest, stations rebuilt in anticipation of trains.

So I really do hope that it's some announcment regarding the station. :)
 
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